


The Only Thing Worth Anything

by Soprano



Series: My Kingdom For... [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-05
Updated: 2014-06-23
Packaged: 2018-01-23 17:30:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 12,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1573892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soprano/pseuds/Soprano
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a world where Loki's attack on Earth was successful. He became the king of Earth. However, the throne did not make him as happy as he'd hoped it would. He traveled between dimensions to see other versions of himself. Most were evil, most were miserable. But there was one that made him think differently of himself and his destiny. And so he allowed his life to take a different turn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Italiano available: [The Only Thing Worth Anything](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2734835) by [Levy94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Levy94/pseuds/Levy94)
  * Inspired by [A Moonlight Koan](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3893347) by [auntieomega](https://archiveofourown.org/users/auntieomega/pseuds/auntieomega). 



The king of Midgard sat on the roof of his palace, feet hanging off the edge, and looked over the city. His palace was, of course, the usurped Stark Tower, now stuffed with everything a king might need. And just about anything the king might want as well. And yet, it felt empty.  
Loki was used to a different kind of palace – different architecture, different scale. But there was a special pleasure in knowing you lodged in your sworn enemy's former home. Or at least it used to be. Until an alternative presented itself in the form of a dimensional rift that lead the Earth king to a parallel universe, where he met a version of himself that held no throne and wore no crown, and was far more content and happy than King Loki could ever imagine.  
The king of Midgard sat on the roof of his palace and wondered what in this world or any other he could possibly do to reach the kind of peace of mind that the other Loki had. That other Loki, of course, was blessed with a thing that both Lokis once thought impossible. He was loved. He had a family. But that wasn't all. Being loved was, apparently, a wonderful thing, but it does not define you. The other Loki had something more. He too once was a villain, was hated, and mocked, and untrusted. He too invaded Midgard in an attempt to take over the planet and rule it as his own, but he'd failed. And yet, he was the one that was happy, while King Loki sat on the roof of his palace, staring out into the darkness and hoping it would swallow him whole.  
He'd long since given up on his plan to take over Asgard, realizing that it would do nothing to improve his life, his self-worth or any part of his existence that mattered. He'd attempted to show leniency in his rule, but a planet taken by force only a few years prior could not be held in uncertain hands. If not enforced, the control of Midgard would be lost, and then what would Loki have?  
He went to see the other Loki once more, but it only aggravated his misery. In his counterpart, the king saw his own wounds healed and anger quelled – something he could never hope to achieve. The hurt they both shared was not the kind one can heal on their own. Being loved might not be the most important thing in life, but being alone never made it easier to let go of your pain.  
Perhaps losing the battle of New York was a blessing for the other Loki. He was defeated, but he was on his way to something new. King Loki had a world at his feet – a world conquered through war and violence. And that was all anyone ever expected from him now. Above all else, the other Loki left evil behind. He did not just become a loving spouse and father, he became a hero. Whatever it took, however he did it – he changed.  
The king of Midgard sat on the roof of his palace and wondered if he could ever hope to do the same. 

-*-

The king's latest inter-dimensional vacation was cut short by an unexpected victory. His army was finally able to take over Stark's main facility. It took Loki years to even find it, and months to infiltrate. And now at last, hundreds of advanced technological inventions were in the king's possession. But the victory was not only in owning Stark's property. However genius and resourceful Stark might be, with his accounts frozen, there was only so much he could do. He might have built his first Iron Man suit in a cave from scrap metal, but you can't outfit an army with no monetary support, and now that his main facility and a large part of his technology were seized, his movement would be crippled, indefinitely.  
Loki looked over the footage from the appropriated factory and sighed in nervous anticipation. This was a major victory. The Underground movement, led by Stark, would be incapacitated for a significant amount of time, but that was not what was on the king's mind. He sent off his minions to contact Stark and call him in for a meeting. And the reason for that meeting was hardly what anyone would expect from the Midgardian king.


	2. Chapter 2

“You can have your toys back, Stark.” Loki said as soon as Iron Man's visor was up.  
“I'm assuming there's a 'but' here.”  
“Isn't there always?”  
“What do you want, hornhead?”  
“A fair trial.”  
“Excuse me?”  
“If I return to Asgard, Odin will throw me into the dungeons forever without so much as letting me speak for myself. Perhaps I deserve that. But my crimes were against Midgard, not Asgard. And while Odin believes himself king of all the Nine Realms, I do not think it's fair for him to--”  
“Okay, hold the horses. What the hell are you talking about?”  
“I'm turning myself in, Stark.”  
“Turning yourself-- What the?” Stark gave a confused look to Rescue – another armored hero who was currently supervising the meeting in case a conflict broke out and Iron Man needed back-up. Her helmet flipped open, revealing Pepper Potts, the CEO of Stark Resilient, and Tony's best friend.  
“I believe what he's trying to say is that he no longer wishes to be king and instead of running is willing to be held responsible for his crimes against humanity.” Pepper explained.  
“What she said.” Loki nodded.  
“And you believe him?” Stark pointed a metal clad finger at Loki.  
“It's possible that he's sincere, but it's far more likely that this is some sort of scheme.”  
“What could I possibly gain from this?” Loki asked, though mostly rhetorically.  
“I don't know yet.” Stark dropped his visor. “But I intend to find out.” Stark produced a set of heavy handcuffs, strong enough to restrain a god, at least for a time. “If you're serious about turning yourself in, mind trying on the bling?”  
“You always have those on you?” Loki extended his arms, placing his wrists into the restraints that snapped shut around him.  
“Only when I plan to see you.”  
“I'm touched.” 

Iron Man and Rescue escorted Loki into one of their bunkers. He didn't resist. They put a blindfold on him, so that he wouldn't know where they were going. He didn't resist. They put him in a cell with a force field. He didn't resist.  
“I asked Thor to have this made in Asgard and shipped here.” Stark explained. “This cell can hold you and negate your magic.”  
“I know.” Loki replied calmly.  
“I intended to throw you in here someday, when we beat you.”  
“I know.”  
“Never expected you to walk in willingly though.”  
“I know.”  
Stark stared at Loki in irritation.  
“I don't know what the hell your game is, but I'm not playing it. You're not getting out of here until I know what your plan is. And maybe not even then.”  
Loki didn't respond. He watched as Stark walked out of the room and locked a few more doors behind himself. The lights went out. The king was left alone in the dark.


	3. Chapter 3

“Time to rise, sleeping beauty.” Stark's voice penetrated the force barrier of Loki's cell, waking the king from his slumber. “So, what's the reason?”  
“Reason?”  
“You claim to want to give up the throne and turn yourself in. Why?”  
“Does it matter?”  
“Yes, it does.” Stark waited for a response, but none came. “Did you expect me to just go 'Oh yeah, sure, let's have a lovely little trial and decide which prison you'll spend the rest of eternity in' and not question any of this?”  
“I mostly expected you to attempt killing me on the spot.”  
“I don't kill people, Loki. And you I probably wouldn't be able to kill if I tried.”  
“I suppose not.”  
“So, again, why?”  
“I've seen the error of my ways?”  
Stark gave him an exaggerated sarcastic laugh.  
“I have all day, Loki.”  
“Whatever I say, you will not believe. So, what's the point in telling the truth or in telling a lie?” Loki walked closer to the force field. “You won. I give up. Your world is free. What more do you want?”  
“I'm not the kind of mouse that doesn't question free cheese. That's how you get your neck snapped.”  
“What could I possibly do? I'm in a cell.”  
“You're the self-proclaimed god of lies, I'm pretty sure you have a trick up your sleeve.”  
“I never proclaimed myself that, Stark. It was a role I was forced into, so that my brother would look good by comparison. His heroism needed a background to highlight his virtue. That was my part to play.”  
“Well, boo-hoo.” Stark sneered. “You want to stay on Earth, instead of returning to Asgard, so clearly your plan involves staying here. Why?”  
Loki sighed. Who would have thought giving up world domination would be so tedious?  
“I've wronged your people, I wish to be judged here, instead of shipped away and imprisoned by an arrogant monarch that thinks he can do whatever he wants to absolutely anyone in the universe.”  
“So, basically, you don't want to be grounded by your daddy?”  
Loki rolled his eyes.  
“Whatever you want to believe, Stark.”  
“Maybe I should call Thor, have him talk to you.”  
“Why?”  
“Well, you're not being honest with me, maybe you'll be honest with him.”  
“Is that what you believe?” Loki smirked. “I trust you more than I trust my brother, Stark. You are my enemy, you are honest about it and you do not hide your intentions or pretend to be my friend. Thor...he claims to have my interests in mind, but all he ever does is treat me as a villain, whether I'm right or wrong. His apologies are only ever meant to make him look virtuous, but he never makes the effort to understand what he's apologizing for. He never even tries to see what he's done wrong. He's so used to being a hero, he believes everything he does to be for good, never even considering the damage he could be doing. He thinks he can do no wrong, and Odin supports him, reinforcing my brother's belief in his own unfaltering moral excellence. So, no. I am not more likely to be honest with Thor. But do by all means force me to endure his self-righteous speeches if you truly wish to inflict torture upon me.”  
“Wow.” Stark finally said after a good minute of stunned silence. “There is some serious therapy in order.”  
“Anyone who doesn't need therapy is either dead or boring.” Loki countered. “So, do you want your robots back or do you wish to keep me as a caged pet for a while longer?”  
“Let me think about it.” Stark replied and left the room, once again leaving the king one on one with his own thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

“What is it?” Tony finally asked after watching Pepper's obviously concerned expression as she stared at the screen of her laptop.  
“This just doesn't make sense.”  
“Perfect. I thrive in things that don't make sense. Lay it on me.”  
“You know the scans we've been running whenever we battled Loki in person? To try and counteract his magic?”  
“Yeah, what about them?”  
“Well, he always has these shields around himself. Multiples usually. And there's also some stuff none of our experts could identify. This thing,” she pointed at an imagine of Loki run through a variety of visual analyzers designed to make magic visible, “reflects projectiles. This one absorbs energy coming at him externally. This one sort of snaps when a magical attack is launched his way.”  
“Right. So?”  
“Here's the reading from yesterday's meeting.”  
“Okay, and?” Stark expected a more thorough analysis than just a video and a bunch of snapshots. “Run the tests.”  
“I have.”  
“Wait, what?”  
“That's it, that's all there is. No shields, nothing. He's not even wearing armor.”  
“What the hell does that mean? That can't be right. Is that even him? I mean, could it be a copy or something? Could he have sent some kind of magical clone to distract us while he's off doing something else?”  
“If it's a copy, it's a damn good one. Biologically he reads same as always. It's him.”  
Stark stared at the screen for a few more moments, then headed straight for Loki's cell.

“You have a death wish?” Stark asked the king who was currently sitting cross-legging on his bed, apparently meditating.  
“Excuse me?”  
“You said you expected me to kill you on the spot.”  
“And you admitted to being unable to do so.”  
“Not usually, but you could kill a lion with a needle if the lion just stands there and lets you.”  
Loki sighed.  
“I take it you've done your precious little magic analysis, have you?” He got off the bed and walked up to the force barrier. “It was a gesture of good intention.”  
“Bullshit. What the hell are you playing at? Did you want to die as a martyr? Make me look like a monster that attacked a defenseless opponent?”  
“If you killed me, I genuinely doubt there would be many who would blame or judge you. Plus, most wouldn't know I was defenseless. You clearly didn't until a few minutes ago.” Loki watched Stark's baffled, mildly angry expression, expecting some sort of response, but none came. “It's not a death wish, Stark. I merely considered all my options. Dying was one of them. And let's face it, it's not the worst one. Hel is better than eternity in a prison cell.”  
“Are you fucking kidding me?”  
“No need to be so dramatic, Stark. You may not understand my reasoning, but think. Just imagine that you took over a world because you believed you deserved it, but over time came to realize you were wrong. What could you possibly do then? There is no place I can go where I'm not seen as a villain, and all there is for me now is hatred and incarceration. You might not believe me or understand me, but try, for a moment, to place yourself in my position, and think – wouldn't death be a better option?” Loki walked slowly back to his bed and sat down. “I'm willing to accept my punishment, Stark. But I doubt there is one that would satisfy the people I've wronged. If you defeated me, your world would be freed, your people would be liberated, and everyone would be happy. Is it truly so wrong to wish that?”  
Tony watched the king's face, trying to understand if this was all an elaborate lie.  
“What the hell happened to you?”  
“People change, Stark. You used to make weapons that killed thousands. Now you're a hero, making clean energy and defending the helpless. What happened to _you_?”  
“I never wanted to die.”  
“But to be fair, you also never took over a planet.”


	5. Chapter 5

Stark walked back to the room where Pepper watched Loki's cell on a monitor.  
“Did you see that?” Tony asked.  
“Yeah. It's...convincing, actually.”  
“You believe him?”  
“I don't know. I just can't seem to think of a reason he'd be doing all this other than the one he's actually claiming.”  
“Yeah, but why would he do this? I mean, you don't go through the trouble of taking over a planet to then just say 'whoopsie, sorry, my bad' because you suddenly think it was a mistake.”  
“Of course you do.”  
“What?”  
“He's right, people change. Sometimes gradually, sometimes there's a turning point. Something happened to him that made him realize what he did was wrong.”  
“Wait, you actually believe him? Are we actually operating under the assumption that he's telling the truth?”  
“No, we need to consider all possibilities. But we also need to remember that one of those possibilities is that he's actually being honest.”  
Stark sighed and rubbed his face in frustration.  
“I hate tricksters.” 

“Alright.” Stark said with determination, placing a chair just outside of Loki's cell and sitting down. “I'll maybe consider believing you, if you tell me what the hell happened to you.”  
“What makes you think something happened?”  
“Because people don't just take 180° turns like that. If you want me to believe you, you better tell me what made you suddenly decide to give up the throne.”  
“You do realize that I could just make something up, don't you?”  
“For all I know, you're making everything up, and this is all one gigantic lie. So, keep going. At the very least, I'll get a good story out of it.”  
“No.”  
“Excuse me?”  
“My reasons are mine to have and mine to keep, I have no interest in sharing them with you.”  
Stark's lips twitched into a cryptic smile.  
“Are you ashamed?” He scorned. “Is your reason so embarrassing that you're unwilling to share it?”  
“Would it give you some kind of sick satisfaction if that were true?”  
“Absolutely.”  
“Why do you find such pleasure in being cruel?”  
“You deserve it.”  
“I can see why you get along so well with my brother.”  
“I don't. But whatever greatness you think of yourself, you have to admit I have plenty of reasons to be mean to you.”  
“Of course. You don't want to kill me, but you have no problem hurting me. Perhaps you think death would be too easy.” Loki looked around his cell. “Am I to expect physical torture as well, or are you going to limit yourself to psychological warfare?”  
“Would it help make you talk?”  
“No.” For a moment there was vulnerability in Loki's eyes, but he took it under control immediately. “Pain and punishment only work with some. For others they do nothing but build more anger. None of your fighting or vitriol could ever beat me, Stark, and it could certainly never make me want to leave. Sometimes only kindness and understanding could change someone's mind.”


	6. Chapter 6

“Are you telling me someone _convinced_ you to give up Earth?” Stark crossed his arms, instinctively trying to protect himself from the uncomfortable emotions the conversation was digging out.  
“I've seen a world where I am a hero.”  
Stark laughed out, a little too loudly.   
“Yeah, right.”  
“You see? The mere thought of such a possibility seems laughable to you. You wish only to fight and bully me. No one in this world ever saw goodness in me, so I showed none. But as it turns out, when treated with decency, I can be fairly decent myself.”   
“This is like some kind of reverse therapy session.”  
“Feel free to leave. I offered you a deal. All you need to do is take it or leave it. Your exploration of my non-existent evil plan is your own initiative.”   
“I can build new suits and weapons. I won't even need weapons if I don't need to fight you anymore. I have you in a cell.”  
“Then turn me over to Thor. It's what you want, isn't it?”   
“What I want is to know what the hell is going on. Are you seriously telling me that you saw some alternative reality where you're a hero and now you want to be one too?”  
“No. I could never hope to be a hero. But I'm tired of being a villain.”  
“Aiming low. Nice.”  
“The hero version of me has something I will never have.”  
“A conscience?”  
“Someone who believes in him, who loves him unconditionally. It's much easier to thrive in the right environment. But when everyone expects nothing but evil from you, it's only apt to deliver. All I have is a world that hates me.”  
“You earned it.”  
“Yes. I did. And I can never hope for anything else. But I can at least refrain from doing more harm.” 

Stark sat alone in his garage. It wasn't an actual garage, that was just what he called any room he appropriated for building things. He was welding and brooding. Pepper watching him from a distance. She knew that blooding look. She waited it out. But then it turned to agitation and anger, and she knew it was time to interfere.   
He started talking as soon as she approached, knowing she was there to listen.  
“If this is some kind of plan to mess with my head, it's working.”   
“You're starting to believe him?”  
“I don't know. No one should ever believe him. That's like one of the basic rules of common sense – never trust Loki.” He sighed. “But that's the thing though, isn't it? If he really wanted to change, how could he? How could he ever not be evil when I can't even consider believing him, let alone allowing for the possibility that he could be anything but evil?”  
“If it's an evil plan, it has to be for something big. Because if he convinces you to trust him on the grounds of wanting to become better, and then betrays you, no one will ever trust him again. Ever. That's a lot of chips to place on something. I don't know about you, but I can't think of anything he could possibly gain from this.”  
“Maybe that's the whole point. It wouldn't work if I knew what his plan was.”  
“He doesn't even want anything from you. He's not trying to make you trust him. He just doesn't want to go back to Asgard.”   
“Unless we're just not seeing some kind of bigger picture.”   
“Maybe.”  
“Well, for what it's worth, if he's telling the truth, even I can't help but feel bad for him. I mean, some people still see me as nothing but a merchant of death because I used to sell bombs. Imagine a whole universe seeing you as a supervillain, and then you wake up one day and realize you really don't want to be that anymore. I kind of get why he'd consider death one of the better options.”


	7. Chapter 7

Loki sat on the bed in his cell, wondering what the other versions of himself would think of what he was doing. Most would find him weak and pathetic. Even Loki bullied Loki. But he couldn't help but smile when he remembered the hero version of himself introducing him as “evil Loki” to Bruce, his husband, and Bruce responding “there is no such thing”. No such thing as an evil Loki. Only Loki that was hurt and damaged enough to seek affirmation in putting others down.  
He was wrong, of course. Bruce. He was wrong. There is no excuse for evil. No matter what happens to you, it's no excuse for becoming a villain. But then maybe – Loki lit up his hand with a glow of energy – maybe no one was really good or evil. Like magic. Magic can be used to heal and create and mend, or it can be used to destroy and kill and maim. People, gods, anyone with any kind of sentience, they all made choices based on what they felt, what they wanted and how they were treated. Like everyone else, Loki was once a clean slate, but whatever happened, however it came to be, it became scratched and tainted and blooded by wounds and insults and expectations of lies and deception. Loki became nothing more than a villain. And it gave him power. Like a scar that destroys your face. You can cry and feel sorry for yourself or you can embrace it. Let it be who you are. You can wear it with pride. So, Loki embraced his villainy, because really, what else could he do?  
But now he sat in a cell that he walked into willingly. He would spend the rest of his life in a cell. This one or another. In Midgard or Asgard. Whatever happened next, he would always be a prisoner. He felt anger rising. For a moment he became furious with himself for being so weak. For giving up a world he ruled as a king, to be – what? Not a hero. Not even a reformed villain. Just a prisoner, rotting away. He would soon be forgotten. Midgardians that once knew him would die, and he would still be locked in a cell somewhere. A remnant of Earth's past mistakes. Why was he doing this to himself?  
Why, because it was the right thing to do, of course. Wasn't it?  
He never told the other Loki or his husband what he was going to do. Give up his kingdom. He hoped now that they'd be proud of him. Somehow these people from a different universe became his moral compass. Because Bruce believed in Loki, every Loki, all Lokis. He believed that Loki was a creature capable of love, virtue and understanding. But there was no Bruce in this world. And there was no one here who believed in Loki. 

“Okay, listen.” A voice broke the king out of his thoughts. Stark was standing a few feet away, behind the force screen. “Just as a scientific experiment...let's say I believe you.”


	8. Chapter 8

“What I don't get though,” Stark folded his arms on his chest, “is why not just run? You're a master of sorcery and illusion and deception. You can hide, it's practically second nature to you. So, why are you doing this?”  
“Because it's the right thing to do?”  
“Yeah, whatever. I just thought a god that single-handedly took over a planet would value his freedom a little more.”  
“My freedom is more important to me than anything else in the universe, Stark. That is exactly why I'm here and not hiding somewhere in the wastelands of Svartalfheim.” Loki sighed at Stark's askance expression. “Freedom is not just about whether or not you're in a cell. Plenty, if not most, people in this world and any other live lives that can hardly be called free, though they are not locked up like me. They perform jobs they do not enjoy, live with lovers that do not love, in places that they hate. They lie every day to get by, they force themselves to stay silent where they would rather scream, they do what they have to rather than what they want. And no one really knows who they are, because who they are is hidden. They wear masks, they pretend. Because it's easier or because it's what they were taught. Do you truly believe those people to be free? I could run and hide, I could wear a different visage and speak in a different voice. I would remain out of prison, but that is not the freedom I seek. I wish to be honest. To show everyone that I understand what I've done was wrong and chose to change. To be punished for my wrongdoings rather than run. You might not believe me. Perhaps no one ever will, but I'll know that for once, for once, I did the right thing. It's the freedom of spirit that I want more than being out of bonds. I know you don't trust me, and that is something I will never gain. But you of all creatures should understand the need for redemption. You are lucky to be able to make up for your former wrongs by being a hero. I could never hope for such a privilege. But at the very least I can make it known that I'm willing to be judged for my crimes and take whatever punishment your people see fit. If you choose to put me to death – so be it. If you choose to lock me up forever – so be it. And maybe no one will believe my intentions, but perhaps centuries from now when I'm still in a cell, never trying to escape, never questioning my punishment. Perhaps then people will finally believe that I truly am sorry for what I have done, and that I am honest. That is my freedom, Stark. And that is something you cannot take away with shackles.”  
Stark simply stared at Loki. There was a strange kind of contemplation in his eyes.   
“Who would have thought King Bambi would be so deep?” Tony smiled at Loki's annoyed eyeroll. “Alright, you stay here. I'll be back later.” 

Stark was gone for 3 days. Loki meditated, slept and tried not to let doubt, guilt and regret destroy his unoccupied mind. But when Stark finally returned, a whole new shock awaited the king. It was a strange development that Loki never expected his decision to surrender could possibly cause.


	9. Chapter 9

Outside Loki's cell stood Iron Man, Rescue, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Thor. The Avengers. Or what was left of them.  
It took Stark 3 days to convince them to come and hear Loki out. He had to convince each of them individually. Unsurprisingly, Thor was the hardest to persuade.  
Black Widow, the current leader of the team, stepped forward.  
“Loki,” she spoke, “Stark claims that you wish to atone for your crimes. Is that true?”  
“Yes.”  
“Why?”  
“Why did you?”  
The spy smiled cunningly.  
“If you're intending to play mind games with me, Loki, we're leaving now and you can rot here or you can continue to fight us until your inevitable defeat.”  
“I'm not trying to play any games, Ms Romanoff. I'm merely suggesting that you allow me the opportunity to be judged the way you once judged yourself. You were in my shoes once. And you chose to switch sides, to become a hero, to do good. I know I can't count on such luck, but I would rather 'rot here' than go back out there and continue to let people die because of my rule.”  
Stark made a 'see what I mean?' gesture as the team gaped at Loki in mild disbelief.  
“I do not trust you, brother.” Thor pitched in.  
“I expected nothing else from you, Thor.” Loki responded coldly but without malice.  
“So, what exactly do you want from us, Tony?” Clint asked, eying Loki with apparent distrust.  
“Well, now that Loki is surrendering the throne, we'll need to help Earth recover. Rebuild stuff, both physically and metaphorically.” Stark pointed a finger at the former king. “This guy here is a pretty powerful creature, who I think would be better utilized in said rebuilding process rather than kept in a cell.”  
“What are you suggesting?” Thor demonstrated his rather slow mental process. Everyone else was already quite clear on what exactly Stark was suggesting.  
“We can't trust him.” Widow stated.  
“Then don't.” Stark took a breath, not really believing what he was about to say. “I trust him. I'm vouching for him. Whatever he does wrong will be on me.”  
Everyone, including Loki, stared at Stark in apparent confusion. Except Pepper who tried to hide her smile as she looked at Stark and Loki in turns, enjoying the well-masked vulnerability on Tony's face and the utter shock on Loki's.  
“You're just a man, Stark. When my brother betrays us, you will not be able to stop him.” Thor was not convinced.  
Stark lifted and opened a briefcase that stood by his feet throughout this little meeting.  
“ _If_ he chooses to betray us,” Stark demonstrated the contents of the briefcase to the heroes, “we can use these.” In the case were a couple of bracelets. “They use the same kind of technology used in the cell's force field. When activated, they will negate Loki's magic and magnetize together to incapacitate him. Me, Pepper and JARVIS will be in control of several activation sequences for the bracelets. Even if we're both knocked out, JARVIS will be able to make judgment on whether it was Loki's fault and activate the bracelets if needed.”  
“Why just you 2 and your robot helper?” Hawkeye objected. “Shouldn't we all have the activation keys?”  
“Don't get me wrong, angry bird, it's not that I don't trust you, but until such a time that he's at least had the opportunity to prove his worth, I don't think we should give his enemies a chance to get back at him. He screwed you over, I get it. But that's precisely the reason you shouldn't be temped with a toy like this.”  
Everyone took a moment to contemplate Stark's proposition.  
“Guys,” Pepper spoke. “I think we're all forgetting something here.” She waited until everyone's attention was on her. “You're deciding someone's fate and you're not even asking him how he feels about the whole idea. Hasn't it occurred to you that maybe he'd prefer to stay imprisoned rather than be led around on a leash while you squabble about whether or not he's worthy of a chance for redemption?”  
“That's...actually a pretty good point.” Stark turned to the prisoner. “Loki?”  
The king was still in a state of mild shock. He really would have preferred a heads up for this whole spectacle of emotion. But he composed himself quite quickly, somehow managing to look regal and dignified despite being in a cage and accepting shackles.  
“If you're willing to allow me to redeem myself, I hardly have the right to decline such an offer.”  
“Peachy. So, guys, a vote? Or do you need time to think?”  
“I have doubts about this, Stark.” Thor admitted.  
“So do I. More than doubts.” Clint added.  
“I'm willing to give him a chance.” Pepper smiled.  
It was down to Widow's decision.  
“Alright, what sayeth you, our fearless leader?” Tony set the scene for the dramatic tie-breaker.  
“I don't trust him. But most people don't trust me. And those who do once didn't. I say we give him a chance.” She nodded to herself. “Besides, I'd rather have him in sight than worry about him escaping a prison somewhere.”  
“He will betray us.” Thor said, again.  
Tony rolled his eyes and mumbled under his breath.  
“With a brother like you, who needs enemies?”


	10. Chapter 10

Arrangements needed to be made, speeches said and rules set up. Loki felt strange. Really strange. He resented being controlled, but he was willing to go through the tests and trials to be able to clear his name at least a little. All he expected was rotting away in a cage or maybe dying. But he was given an opportunity to help Earth heal from the wounds he'd caused it. It was worth the chains.  
The Avengers stood in a neat row in front of a room full of press. Loki walked into the room, positioning himself a few feet in front of the heroes. Many of the journalists gasped. Cameramen peaked out from behind their equipment to make sure they were seeing what they were seeing. The king and his greatest enemies called a press conference. Together.  
“Earthlings,” Loki spoke calmly, “for some time now I have been calling myself your king, though most of you know me as a creature that came to your world, fought your armies and your heroes and then forced his authority over the governments you had chosen for yourselves. It took me longer than it should have to understand that doing so did not make anyone's lives better. Not yours and not mine. I thought I could make your world better by imposing my rule upon you. Instead I merely caused more wars, pain, death and desolation. I was wrong. Which is why, affective immediately, I eliminate the position of King of Earth. Not I nor any other man or god will ever be the king of your world again. I am surrendering myself to the Avengers who will keep me in custody for as long as they see fit and incarcerate me should they deem it necessary. An apology for what I have done to your world is hardly enough, so I will do everything in my power to help rebuild and restore your world until no vestige of my interference is left in sight. And then I will continue to protect your world and your people from any threat, internal or external, for as long as you and your heroes will allow me.”  
With that Loki left the room, escorted by the Avengers, while the press yelled and jumped out of their seats. Stark stayed behind. He urged the press to settle down and then he made a statement of his own.  
“Guys, guys, listen up, alright? I know this might seem a little anti-climactic. Believe me, I led the Underground movement against that guy for years, and this is not how I expected this feud to end. I'm sure a lot of you want his head on a stake or his ass in prison, or both simultaneously. But keep in mind that instead of wasting a powerful resource, we've having him fix the damage he's done. That's not a bad thing. And I know a lot of you won't see it that way, but do remember that he didn't take over Earth out of malice. He did it out of stupidity and entitlement. It doesn't justify his actions, but there's a big difference between true evil and misguided mistakes that did more damage than was entirely necessary. Sure, his screw-up was on a very large scale, but let's be realistic – if we were all punished for mistakes we made our of anger and foolishness, the whole damn planet would be in jail.”

Stark and Loki were in an elevator, going up to one of the top floors of Stark Tower. Loki had returned it to Stark and it was being restored to its former state.  
The bracelets shone on Loki's wrists. They were rather elegant, looking more like jewelry than shackles.  
“Where are we going?” Loki asked.  
“Patience, young grasshopper.”  
The elevator stopped and the two men entered the floor on which Loki used to live when he owned the entire tower. Loki lingered by the elevator, uncertain as to what was expected of him. He was willing to be part of the team, he'd agreed to being monitored at all times, and he was even almost ready to occasionally take orders. But he certainly wasn't a fan of being kept in the dark.  
“What is going on, Stark?”  
“I didn't touch anything here, though my team did a sweep for weapons. I've installed sensors in the doors and windows that will scan your bracelets when you enter or leave.”  
“You want me to live...here?”  
“Problem?”  
“I expected to be kept in a cell when we're not out on missions.”  
Stark frowned but kept his thoughts to himself.  
“Well, I'm the one vouching for you, so it's only fair that I keep you close. I'm moving into the next floor up. Don't come running to me when you have nightmares.”


	11. Chapter 11

Loki's first task was to restore damaged buildings New York City. Most of it had become abandoned after the Battle of New York. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed and Loki didn't place it at the top of his priority list to rebuild them. Besides, more battles followed, so more buildings caught bombs and fire and shrapnel. Most people moved out or never bothered returning to their former homes at all. It was simply not safe to live there anymore.  
Iron Man hovered a few feet above ground, watching as Loki cast a spell that gradually restored a damaged office building.  
“This is just unbelievable.” Stark admitted. “I don't trust magic. It just seems to me like those bricks are fake and that it will all fall apart, so I'd much rather see it all rebuilt brick by brick; but I have to admit it's mesmerizing to watch it happen.”  
“Magic doesn't really exist, Stark. There are just different kinds of science and different kinds of strength. People in your own planet's past would call your technology magical. You can get inside a suit and fly, would that not seem magical to a caveman? My science is merely more advanced than yours.”  
“Why do you call it magic then?”  
“It's sexier.”  
Stark smiled, watching Loki restore another building. It was one of their first days out in the field and most of the team was uncertain about allowing Loki to be outside with only Tony and JARVIS monitoring him. But Stark assured them that it would be fine, and eventually they gave up because they could hardly get anything done if they continued to waste time worrying about Loki's allegiance.  
The team was busy these days. Rebuilding houses was really one of the smallest problems. It was the political and social damage that were the hardest to fix. Pepper was the one taking care of the bulk of it, traveling the world and talking to former leaders and governments, helping restore shattered political structures. Widow and Thor helped mend the military. Hawkeye teamed up with charities and social workers to help people readjust and accept all the changes that were happening. But they were always in touch because one of the biggest threats in a time like this was that every radical group with half a brain knew that this was the best possible time to attack. Defenses were weakened, leadership was uncertain, armies were unorganized. There would be many terrorist attacks, opportunistic bank robberies and high-stakes hostage situations that the Avengers and other heroes, including the police, would have to deal with in the coming months; but the very first one came as something between a shock and a completely expected event. One of the tech-savvy terrorist groups that came together after Loki became king and were too violent and radical to join Stark's movement, now came a-knocking with one demand only – Loki's head on a plate.  
They took civilian hostages outside Stark Tower and claimed to have bombs in several buildings that still had people living in them. Loki sat quietly while the Avengers decided what to do. He knew at least half of the team considered just handing him over to the terrorists and wouldn't actually do it only out of not wanting to give in to threats rather than actually caring about Loki's well-being.  
“Stark, do you have enough people to dismantle the bombs?” Black Widow was giving out orders to her team.  
“Yeah, we're scanning now.”  
“Clint,” Widow went on, “pick a spot and see how many of them you can take out without hurting the hostages.”  
Hawkeye nodded to the orders and left the room.  
“Thor, can we count on any military support for this?”  
“I will contact the commanders immediately.”  
“Loki...” Widow hesitated. There really wasn't much he could do here but the very obvious. “We might need to use you as bait.”  
The former king nodded with a sly smile.  
“I thought you'd never ask.”


	12. Chapter 12

Iron Man was marching Loki out with oversized handcuffs on his wrists. They were fake, but they looked impressive. Meanwhile, Widow exploited the distraction to get inside the van that the terrorists used as a mobile base of operations. She quietly took out their tech support and disabled their communication.   
Loki and Stark walked slowly towards the terrorists.  
“Stark,” Loki whispered, “I have an idea.”  
“I'm not sure I like the sound of that.”  
“You said you trust me.”  
“Are you about to make me regret it?”  
“Probably.” Loki glanced at Stark before taking further action. “I won't hurt anyone, I promise. You'll know what to do.”   
They were close enough to the terrorists now to engage them in a physical fight, but it was too dangerous with the hostages being so close by. Loki held up his cuffed hands and broke free from the fake bonds.  
“You think this can hold me?” He yelled, grabbing one of the terrorists, yanking his machine gun out of his hands and using him as a shield against the others. “Your precious heroes here might care about hostages, but I sure hope you don't think I do!” He then directed the gun at the hostages and pulled the trigger, instantly killing most of the unarmed defenseless crowd. Loki's eyes lit up in pure evil. “There goes your leverage!”   
Widow's voice thundered through the Avengers' coms.  
“Stark, what the hell is going on?”   
“We got this, just make sure the terrorists have no contact with each other.”  
The terrorists all pointed their guns at Loki, who was still shielded by one of their own. Loki's living shield squirmed and yelled in panic, knowing that his compatriots were unlikely to value his life above their purpose. Loki let him go, and he was yards away in under a second. The terrorists fired upon Loki. His magical defenses absorbed the damage. He needed to wait just a few more seconds. Finally, he radiated a wave of energy that knocked all the terrorists unconscious.   
The illusion dissipated. The hostages were at a safe distance now, protected by Iron Man. Black Widow's calm but obviously angry voice rang through the coms.  
“You boys have a lot of explaining to do.”

“It worked, didn't it?” Stark pointed out as the rather angered Avengers stared at him and Loki. “Come on, no one got hurt, not even the terrorists.”   
“That's not the point, Tony.” Widow countered. “I never enforce strict subordination, but we have to keep each other in the loop, that's what the coms are for!”  
“He had an idea, we had to act fast. You know sometimes these things happen.”   
“This is his first battle mission with us, and he pulls a stunt like that!”  
“We would have lost the element of surprise if we stood around telling the whole team what the plan was.”   
Loki stood silently, listening to the heroes quarreling. He had to suppress a smile. This was really new to him. Someone was actually on his side, defending him at the top of their voice. The feeling was intoxicating.   
“Ms Romanoff,” Loki finally interrupted the fight, “I am sorry for acting without your approval. I accept full responsibility for my actions and will take whatever punishment you see fit.”  
Widow sighed.  
“I'm not going to punish you, Loki. I just want you to understand the importance of communication and the implications of working in a team.”  
“I do. I understand that your unawareness of my plan was both uncomfortable for you and dangerous for the overall success of the mission. Stark is right, we needed the element of surprise, but next time I will make an effort to inform you of my actions regardless.”   
“You better.” Clint almost growled out the words. “Remember that cell is still always an option.”  
“Believe me, Mr Barton. I could never forget.”


	13. Chapter 13

Loki sat in his living room, exhausted after the fight, when he heard a 'ding-don' coming from one of the wall speakers.  
“What the hell is that?”   
“Mr Stark is in the elevator.” JARVIS explained.   
“Oh, em... Let him in?”  
The elevator door opened and Tony walked in, pointing at the door closing behind him.  
“We need a better system than this.”  
“It's your building, Stark. Personally, I've always felt elevators that open into someone's living space to be a terrible idea.”  
“Yeah, you're probably right.” Tony finally noticed that Loki was binding one of his shoulders with gauze. “What the hell?”  
“A couple of bullets got through my shields. It's nothing serious.”  
“Are you kidding me? Let me call in a medic.” Stark pulled out his phone, but Loki stopped him.  
“Please, don't. It's fine. I just need rest. I don't want to deal with medics right now. Just help me with this, okay?”   
Stark tied a knot in the gauze.  
“Are you sure you're okay?”  
“I'm fine, I'll heal by morning.”   
“You look exhausted.”   
“Maintaining a multi-layered illusion takes a lot of concentration. It's tiring.”   
“Well, you did great. Nat's probably right about the whole communication thing, but still.”  
Loki smiled. He was lost in thought for a moment. Then he lifted his hands to make a show of his bracelets.  
“You don't have to do this.” He spoke quietly. “I appreciate it, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I'm trying to be honest, to show people that I can be trusted. I don't want my whole relationship with the Avengers to be based on a lie.”  
“What are you talking about?” Stark attempted to look innocent and confused.  
“Don't try to deceive me, Stark. I know these bracelets are not enchanted. I would have felt it if they had any power over my magic. But all they do is scan me in when I walk into this room. They're basically just silver keycards.”   
Stark suppressed a giggle.  
“They need this. They need to think they're protected in case you turn evil again.”  
“It's a lie.”  
“It's a placebo. Think of it as a symbol. It'll keep them happy to know they have control over you even if they actually have none. And someday they'll be willing to let you take them off. It doesn't matter that the bracelets have no power as long as the Avengers think they do.”   
“I want to be honest.”  
“You are. This this not your scheme.”  
“But--”  
“Loki. This is my secret. Keep it for me, okay?”   
The god hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded in agreement.   
Tony watched the former king. He looked tired and vulnerable somehow. There was something utterly mesmerizing in seeing his perfect royal features tinged by fatigue and a hint of pain. The urge to kiss him burned in Tony's entire body, but he knew what a terrible idea that was. So, instead he got off the couch and headed for the elevator.  
“You need rest.” Tony said as the elevator opened. “And I'll have an actual door installed here in the next couple of days.”  
“Thank you.” Loki replied, watching Stark disappear behind the sliding doors.  
He ran a finger over one of his bracelets and smiled. A symbol indeed.


	14. Chapter 14

That wasn't the last time someone tried to make the Avengers surrender Loki to lynchers or put him in prison or even publicly execute him. A lot of the press openly criticized the superhero group for their decision to basically allow Loki to get away with what he'd done to Earth. But the decision was made and whether or not the Avengers had doubts, they weren't intending to implement any takesies-backsies.  
In only a few months, Loki restored most of the damaged buildings in NYC and went on doing so in other cities, even restoring homes that were damaged by natural disasters and conflicts that were not even remotely his fault. He had to give several more speeches. The political situation was still quite unstable. Many countries scheduled elections because it didn't seem right to just let people return to their former jobs after so much had changed and so many new issues needed to be addressed. Pepper would eventually run for US president and win. But that was still some time away. Right now it was important to not allow anyone to get ideas about redefining borders and make sure no wars broke out over whether everything goes back to the way it was or if someone gets a chunk of their neighbor's land just because. A lot of conflicts that were active before Loki took over the planet were put on hold during his rule, but were now reactivating. Former leaders wanted their offices back, but a lot of people wanted to get new leaders. Terrorist organizations took advantage of the turbulent times. Law enforcement was overwhelmed. No one really knew what the hell was going on.  
And everyone, absolutely everyone blamed Loki.  
Including Loki.  
Apart from missions and restoration work, he didn't get out of the tower much. He wasn't actually on any kind of house arrest, he was allowed to leave, but he chose not to. He spent most of his time on his floor, studying architecture, composing new spells, and combat training.  
At first the Avengers were glad that they didn't have to worry about Loki being out loose in the world, but the more time passed, the more worried they became. Clint and Thor were convinced that Loki was planning something sinister, while Pepper, Tony and Natasha were really just worried. Whatever anyone thought of Loki, he had a lot of stress and pressure to deal with. And even gods can crumble under enough emotional baggage.  
“You should talk to him.” Pepper said during lunch that she, Tony and Nat were having on the roof of Stark Tower.  
“Why me?” Tony replied defensively.  
“You're the one who vouched for him, Tony, it's practically your job.”  
“To babysit him? He's a grown-ass god, if he wants to sit in his room and tinker with his toy houses, who am I to tell him to go outside and play with other kids?”  
“He never goes out, it's not healthy.”  
“Why? Some people like staying inside, there's nothing wrong with that.”  
“That may be true,” Widow pointed out, “but he misses team meetings. At least have him explain why.”  
“You're the leader, Nat.” Tony objected. “You go ask him why he doesn't come when you call. Besides, he comes to the obligatory meetings, just not the ones that are voluntary. Isn't that the whole point of voluntary meetings – that you can choose not to come?”  
“We're worried about him.” Pepper said calmly. “The entire world blames him for everything, from wars to bad weather. He's done a lot of great stuff in the past few months, but nobody thanked him once. Everyone just thinks he ruined the world and deserves every terrible thing in existence.”  
“I can't believe we're having this conversation.” Tony mumbled under his breath. “He's not a child, he can handle himself. How he chooses to deal with things is none of our business. There are worse ways to handle stress than isolation, believe me.”  
“He's part of the team, Tony.” Natasha reminded. “At the very least we need to be sure that he's capable of fulfilling his duties as an Avenger. Besides...everyone needs a friend sometimes.”

Another 'ding-don' rang through Loki's speakers and JARVIS informed him of Tony's arrival.  
“Come in.” Loki said after shutting down all of his active screens. He was watching the news. He followed everything. It was a special kind of self-inflicted torment – watching the world poor dirt all over him. He thought he deserved it.  
Tony entered the room and looked around. His passing gaze came to a halt on a strange little object on Loki's crafting table.  
“What the hell is that?”  
“A bird house.”  
“Where did you get that?”  
“I built it. Well, I'm still working on it, it's missing a wall.”  
“You're building a bird house? With, you know, your own hands?” Tony indicated the hammer and nails scattered over the table. “You can erect a fully-functioning house in under and hour with magic, but you're building a bird house with wood and a hammer?”  
“You're making it sound like building something with magic is easy. Like I snap my fingers and it materializes. You do realize that I first have to design the house, research the materials and create a spell? It doesn't just happen out of nowhere.”  
“Yeah, no, I get that. Just...why the hell are you building that thing the old-fashioned way?”  
“Magic is the old-fashioned way for me, Tony. This is actually new.” Loki explained. “I saw a child doing it with her father when I was in West Virginia. I wanted to try it.”  
“Right. Okay. That's not weird or anything.” Tony took a deep breath. “So...the team is worried that you're spending all your time here. You're allowed to go out, you know.”  
“Yes, I know.”  
“And you're not showing up to elective meetings. You don't have to, but, you know, it's making the others worried.”  
“Why?”  
“I don't know, they're paranoid.”  
“They think I'm up to something?”  
“Probably. I'll tell them you're building bird houses. That'll put their minds at ease.”  
“I just didn't think I was particularly welcome at those meetings. I know most of the Avengers don't want me to be part of the team at all. I do not wish to aggravate them further by showing up at meetings they'd rather spend with friends they trust.”  
“They'll never learn to trust you if they never see you.”  
“Perhaps. It's just...at this point I sincerely doubt they'll ever learn to trust me at all.”  
He pressed one of the command keys on his virtual keyboard and all the screens went back up, showing multiple newscasters, talk show hosts, comedians, politicians and celebrities talk about just how much they all hated Loki. Their voices battled for dominance in the speakers, studio audiences laughed, subtitles yelled abuse.  
Tony sighed.  
“Mute.” He watched the images for a few more moments, then walked to the keyboard and deactivated the screens. He looked at Loki's seemingly neutral expression that framed painfully sad eyes. “Alright, let's build that bird house.”  
Loki managed a half-smile and moved toward his table.  
“I'm having a hard time with the door.” He showed Stark his semi-completed work. “I understand it's customary to simply have a hole through which the bird flies in, but that seems like an awfully poor design. What if it's too small and the bird can't get in, or too big so it lets in too much cold and dirt when it's windy?”  
“Maybe we could install a sliding door with motion sensors.” Stark examined the house.  
Loki couldn't suppress a laugh.  
“It's a bird house, Tony. Not a secret high-tech operation base for freelance undercover avian agents.”  
“I'm just saying, we could improve the design.”  
Loki gave it some thought.  
“I could enchant it to only open to birds so that cats can't get in.”  
“Well, there you go.”  
They worked on that bird house for hours. Though most of it was theorizing and planning and no one lifted a hammer for most of it. And though it didn't really solve any problems and certainly didn't cure Loki's sadness or guilt or that persistent feeling of hopelessness, still, somehow, it helped.


	15. Chapter 15

A New Year's party was filling Stark Tower with noise. Pepper actually managed to convince Loki to come. Her plan was to get Loki and Tony to kiss at midnight. That plan would fail.  
As people laughed and danced and mingled, Loki stood by a wall and watched, like a specter at a feast. A few of the guests shot him hateful looks.  
Thor approached Loki during one of the quieter moments of the party.  
“Father wishes to see you,” the thunder god informed.  
“I do not wish to see him.” Loki replied. “I have enough sources here to make me feel unloved and inadequate.”  
“Do you not want to return home?”  
“This is my home now.”  
As the clock stuck 12 and everyone cheered, Loki walked out onto the balcony. Tony soon followed him.  
“I'm pretty sure Pepper wanted us to kiss when the ball dropped.” Tony said, swishing his drink around in his glass to appear more casual.  
“I know.”  
“She's starting to act like a real politician. Manipulating people into doing what she thinks is good for them.”  
“She had good intentions.”  
“A lot of politicians do.”  
They were leaning on the railing of the 37th floor. Loki wondered if falling from this height would kill him. Tony wondered if he could design an armor that could withstand such a fall.  
Loki's body was buzzing with a strange feeling. He couldn't shake the guilt and disgust that those angry looks had made him feel. But at the same time, it made him angry. He was doing so much good now, he was genuinely making an effort, and yet no one gave him credit for that. It made him want to yell and defend himself, but then he remembered why they looked at him that way, and he felt guilty again. He was an arrogant hurt child once who turned to villainy to feel worthy. Then he gave that up to become a hero. There was no in-between, everything was always so epic and important, always the extremes; it was really messing with his emotions.  
And then he looked at Tony who was standing beside him, staring into his drink. Tony returned his glance and in those eyes Loki saw something new. His former archnemesis didn't look at him like he was a hero or a villain. There was no expectation of greatness or betrayal. Tony looked at him like he was a regular person, capable or many things, but ultimately just a person. Not a king or a monster or a martyr. Not a title, not a label. Tony looked at Loki like he was his equal.  
Loki gently pushed Tony's drink aside, slid his hand up Tony's neck to cup his head and kissed him. They didn't break apart for a good 3 minutes, which was probably not what you'd expect from a first kiss, but what the hell. It felt good, so they just kept on kissing.  
When they finally paused, Tony whispered:  
“I could bet half of my fortune Pepper is watching us right now.”  
“Smugly.”  
They both giggled, giving in to all the lovely chemicals coursing through their systems.  
“Well, let's give her a show.”  
And they certainly did.


	16. Chapter 16

A Skrull attack in San Francisco brought the Avengers to California. The West coast had is own defenders, but they were overwhelmed and called in for support. The heroes won with minimal losses on both ends, but the city suffered a lot of damage from the battle, so Loki stayed behind to help restore the buildings. Iron Man stayed with him. It was claimed that Iron Man was keeping in eye on Loki in case he decided to go rogue, but in reality, Tony was keeping an eye on Loki in case he needed back-up. Though the West coast heroes accepted the god's help, they never missed a chance to give him a speech on what a monster he really was. It made Tony's heart physically hurt to watch Loki silently take the abuse.  
“It's okay,” Loki told him, “I'm used to it by now.”  
That hurt even more.   
As Loki was fixing one of the residential houses, a group of teenagers approached him. They yelled something about how nothing he does will ever make up for what he did to the planet. They told him to go back to Asgard. They used some very elaborate swear words. He stayed silent, devoting his attention to restoring someone's home rather than engaging bullies. That just pissed off the kids more, so one of them threw an apple at Loki's head. He caught it in mid-air, without turning his head, which elicited an audible gasp from his attackers. Loki finally turned to them and spoke.   
“You think I've destroyed your planet, and yet you choose to pick a fight with me. How stupid are you? Do you also throw things at armed murderers and rabid lions?” He held up the apple. “And if you're so willing to part with your food, consider donating it. Or do you honestly think taunting supervillains is better use for your provisions?”   
The bullies then hurried away, attempting to save face by mumbling something about how Loki is so pathetic he can't even fight them. The former king ignored them and went back to restoring the house.  
The next day, a video of that encounter was leaked online. Tony leaked it. He was really getting tired of Loki being unappreciated, so sometimes he would film Loki restoring buildings. He intended to make some sort of montage later, ask Pepper about how to best present it so that the general public would maybe begin for forgive the former villain. But this was better.   
The video got millions of hits. And while many sided with the bullies, a lot of people saw it for what it really was – Loki was doing a good thing, while a bunch of assholes tormented him for his past mistakes. That got people talking, analyzing, wondering. Many have reconsidered their previously unquestioned hatred for Loki. He even got fans. It was almost a beginning of a new era of sorts. 

“It's not that I don't appreciate it,” Loki said, looking down at Tony who was resting his head on Loki's lap and fiddling with his phone, “but maybe next time ask me first?”  
“What?”  
“The video.”  
Tony smiled. He considered denying it for a moment, but that would be pointless. Loki could tell, of course, that the video was recorded from Tony's suit. Attempting to deny it would just be insulting to Loki's intelligence.   
“That's the difference between leaking and planned propaganda, Loki. I did it because I wanted people to see it.”  
“You wanted people to like me.”  
“Obviously.” He returned his attention to his phone. When he finally broke away from it, the bird house sitting on a table near the couch caught his attention. “You should get a bird.”  
“A bird?”  
“You have a bird house, but no bird.”  
“No, I...I think maybe I'll just nail it to one of the trees in the park.”  
“Alright.” Tony was about to drop the subject, but he sensed something. Loki's body tensed and his voice seemed to tremble a little. Loki wasn't always entirely open about his emotions, so Tony learned to notice the subtle tells. “Why don't you want a bird?”  
“Why would I? Most people don't want birds. They fly around and they make noise and they defecate on your belongings.”  
“Alright, and now the truth, please.” Tony put his phone away. “Something's wrong, I can tell. You know I can.”   
Loki huffed in annoyance. He stayed silent, but Tony was willing to engage in this battle of wills. He'd get his answer, he had time.   
“It's not about the bird, Tony, let it go.”  
“What's it about then?”   
“It doesn't matter.”  
Tony sighed.  
“Okay, how about we skip this whole bit where you tell me to drop it, and I don't, and we go back and forth for a while, and instead you just tell me.”   
Loki rolled his eyes, but he knew he wasn't getting out of this.  
“I just...I don't think I can take care of someone. Of a living creature.”  
“You were a king of an entire planet.”  
“Exactly. Look how well that turned out.”   
Tony's mouth dropped open for a second. He realized that some of the damage to Loki's psyche ran much deeper than he'd thought. Those wounds would take a long long time to heal, and even if they ever did, they'd leave some nasty scars.   
Tony didn't say anything then. He just hugged Loki and held him for a long time. This was not something that could be fixed right there and then. This kind of damage takes time and work to deal with. Luckily, Tony never minded the hard work.


	17. Chapter 17

“I'm just saying,” Loki said to Pepper as they both sat on the roof of Stark Tower, taking in the moonlight, “I understand if you don't want to be associated with me. I know it can be damaging to your campaign. It won't hurt my feelings if you don't show public support for me.”  
“Won't it?”  
“Maybe a little, but I can handle it. You've been kinder than most to me, but I won't feel betrayed if you choose to deny it on television.”  
“You should. You should feel betrayed if someone claims to be your friend but won't admit it in public because that might hurt their career.”  
“Pepper, the entire planet hated me for years. I take what I can.”  
Pepper sighed. She hated Loki too once. She didn't think at the time that she could ever forgive, let alone care about him. But she didn't know him then. And he was probably a different person. Now she just found it painfully sad that she had to explain to him that he deserved good friends too and shouldn't hold people to such low standards of companionship. She made a mental note of giving Tony a speech about never ever taking advantage of how little Loki apparently thought he deserved. 

A presidential candidate debate was on. Tony and Loki were watching with popcorn on the couch in Loki's living room. They found most of it rather boring and Tony couldn't even follow a lot of the political stuff without getting distracted. They were just watching to root for Pepper.  
It was stressful. Her opponent was an old condescending dude that smiled like a ventriloquist dummy and treated her like she was a dumb child. It was painful to watch. After one of the more sexist patronizing comments, Loki audibly growled.  
“You know, I could cast a spell that would make him fart loudly every time he says something condescending,” the trickster suggested.  
“Please, don't. Everyone in the room will suffocate within minutes.”  
“I could make him fart something nice that smells of roses.”  
“Don't give him ideas. He probably already thinks his shit smells like flowers.” Tony pointed out.  
They continued to watch with a combination of pride for Pepper and disgust for her opponent, occasionally commenting his speech with interjections of “Oh my god, seriously?” and “Did he really just say that?” And then came that dreaded moment that made them both tense up, as the old condescending dude stabbed at Pepper with “And isn't it true that your little 'superhero' group allowed a creature that took over this entire planet by force to run around free? You actually accepted him into your ranks. Is this the standard of hero in this country now? I don't know about you, but I don't want to live in a world where monsters that think themselves to be gods are allowed back into society where they can hurt our children and poison our minds.” He took a dramatic pause, about to roll out his biggest cannon yet. “And isn't it true that the former usurper of Earth is now in a relationship with Tony Stark, your former boss? Is that what the Avengers have become? A bunch of supervillain sodomites with no concept of morality? This is not what this country needs. It needs a wholesome leader with the right values that can restore the country to its former glory.”  
Tony and Loki both stared at the screen with their mouths open.  
“How did he even know?” Tony sighed.  
Pepper looked unfazed. She spoke calmly, even though she probably wanted to rip the guy's face off.  
“You forgot to mention that the leader of the Avengers is a woman, which is undoubtedly how we came to such ruin in the first place. Obviously, none of these horrible things would have happened if we were lead by a straight white middle-aged man.” Pepper watched as her opponent gave her another condescending smile. “I don't know about you, Senator, but I don't want to live in a world where second chances do not exist. Where powerful resources are squandered in favor of taking revenge. Where it is somehow the government's business who people are dating. Now, I'm sure you'll give us a good old eyeroll at this, but for anyone that actually cares about these things – in the past 6 months alone, Loki rebuilt over 5000 buildings damaged in military situations or by natural disasters. No, it doesn't absolve him of his past crimes, but do you want to tell thousands of families that could go back home after a hurricane that you would rather they had to live in a homeless shelter because you think the person that rebuilt their houses should be kept in a cell rather than allowed to contribute to society? And though I'm not entirely sure how Loki and Mr Stark's personal life is relevant, if you're so inclined to bring it up, yes. Yes, they are the standard of hero in this country. People in honest, loving relationships, people that continuously provide their help without ever asking for payment, gratitude or even acknowledgment, people that are willing to pay for their past mistakes in the way most beneficial to the world around them, even when that world chooses to hate and criticize them for what they've done in the past, where they're from or who they love. Can you say the same about yourself? Because I have no doubt in my heart or mind, that despite your continuous attempts to destroy him, if you were in danger, Loki would help you. That, Senator, is a hero.” 

_*_

Loki was standing by a window and looking over the city skyline illuminated by all the colors of the night. Tony walked up to him and kissed the god between his shoulder blades before coming up to face him. Loki smiled.  
“I have something for you.” Tony pulled out one of this controllers and pressed a button. He turned around and pointed at the table.  
A small holographic bird materialized there and the sounds of the bird's voice came from a nearby speaker.  
“What...what's that?” Loki approached the hologram in amazement.  
“A bird. Obviously.” Tony gave the controller to Loki. “Fully realistic holographic simulation modeled after a combination of several species of birds that are generally willing to hang around people. I've installed holographic projectors all over the floor, so she can go anywhere. She's an expanding program, so she'll learn and acquire knew knowledge and develop unique behaviors.”  
“She?”  
“Yeah, I think we made her female. Right, JARVIS?”  
“That is correct, sir.” JARVIS confirmed.  
“She needs to be given food and water, in simulated version. And yes, she'll poop all over your belongings, but it's holographic poop, so...”  
Loki laughed as he watched the bird in fascination.  
“She's beautiful.” The trickster beamed with joy.  
“You said you don't think you can take care of a living creature.” Tony smiled, though there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. He pointed at the bird. “I think she'll prove you wrong. But it's a little less pressure. She can die. But she can always be restored from a back-up copy.”  
“Thank you.”  
Tony nodded.  
Loki rested his hand flat on the table, palm up, and the bird jumped up onto his hand. He watched her for a few minutes with utter glee in his eyes. Then he pressed a button on the controller and a bowl of food appeared on the table. The bird took a short trip through the air from Loki's hand to the bowl and started eating enthusiastically.  
Tony took Loki's hand in his and ran his fingers over the bracelet.  
“You know I keep bring it up,” he said, “that it's about time that these should be removed. But it seems now that we're a couple, they don't take my opinion seriously. They probably think my brain is swimming in endorphins and oxytocin, so I couldn't possibly make judgments about your character.”  
“They're probably right.”  
“Yeah, probably. Still. I think most of the team trusts you now. Even Clint isn't trying to kill you with his glare anymore.”  
“I almost miss that glare.”  
“It did make you look terribly important.”  
“Exactly.”  
Tony sighed.  
“I know you're pretty tranquil about all this. I just wish people would stop hating you more than you deserve.”  
“It's alright.” Loki kissed Tony gently, though not without passion. “I have _you_ on my side. Everyone else can take their time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! ^_^  
> [You Have Heart](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2300771/chapters/5061155), the sequel.  
> Here's my [Tumblr](http://faithsoprano.tumblr.com/), just in case. Feel free to contact me for whatever reason. (=


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